千と神食いの誓 - Sen and the God Eater
by KuroUsa
Summary: Haku, supposedly killed by Yubaba now appears before Chihiro, a beautiful, silver haired figure by his side. The once peaceful spirit world is on the brink of war over the eradication of humans, torn into two; The now powerless Yubaba against the Prince "Kitsune" under which Haku resides, all the while as a small shadow of a familiar child watches from the shadows.
1. 新プロローグ:New Prologue

Haku paced about the room again, his shoes echoing against the empty walls like the ticking of a clock. His long green hair was in a high ponytail to keep it out of his face as he walked to and fro relentlessly.

He stopped abruptly and turned to face the figure bowed in the corner of the room.

"How long has it been?"

"More than 9 years now, my lord." Haku sighed in exhaustion and collapsed into a chair.

"Why does she not come?"

"She doesn't remember, my lord."

"She must! We made a promise. She wouldn't be the type to forget."

"She is a human. Their memories are frail."

Haku sighed. "Nagi, raise you head. You are a friend, not a subject."

Nagi did as told but remained crouched on the floor.

Haku sighed again. "Everything's ready here, it's just her that's missing. What is she's just waiting for me in the human world? And she just can't find her way back?"

"It is possible." Haku bit his lip in thought.

"I, however, cannot go. I'm tied here because of this wretched curse. And even if I was to send someone else, if she really does have no memory, she would not be able to see it."

"You must forget about her then, my lord. For hers and your sake. What if your curse might affect her?"

"It will not. I am the only prisoner in this war."

"Can you not somehow erase your memory too? Your life is perfect here. Apart form the blasted bathhouse, everything is under your power."

"Power is useless, if there is no one to share it with."

"You have me."

Haku smiled apologetically. "I want her."

Nagi peered into Haku's empty eyes and sighed. There was no other way about this.

"Then, If she cannot see me, I shall send her a reminder. An invitation."

"How?" Demanded Haku, his eyes sparkling with the faintest of hope. "She cannot see you."

"You've forgotten my ability, my lord."

"Does it work on humans?"

"I shall try."

Haku smiled, much to the relief of Nagi.

"Thank you friend."

Nagi took one last moment to etch the friend's soft smile in years into memory, and without a word swept out of the room to go and welcome the clueless child, that Nagi knew, would be the downfall of Haku.


	2. 未完成の夢:Uncompleted Dream

Chihiro woke up with a start to find her self to have dozed off on her desk. The classroom glowed a warm gold, reflected by the setting sun seeping in from the open windows. What had she dreamt about? She felt awfully tired. Chihiro scrunched her face in a desperate attempt to remember. What did he look like? She was sure she saw his face in the dream, like she had always done. It however, remained blank, no different from all the other days.

"Hey, Chihiro. Its time to go home.''

Chihiro sighed and reluctantly stood up from her desk. The voice came from the doorway of the classroom, but she didn't even bother checking to see who it was.

"Chihiro…at this rate you wont be able to pass the mid year test. You stay back for so long but you're always just dozing off."

Chihiro dumped her bag on the desk with a bang, interrupting his lecture abruptly. Swinging her bag onto her back she exited the room. Her shoes squeaked against the empty golden hallway as she descended the first half of the flight of stairs, and was just about to turn a corner when another pair of haste squeaks caught up to her from behind, screeching to a sudden halt at the stop of the stairs.

"Chihiro!" She stopped, abruptly.

"Chihiro…we weren't the ones that did that! Please believe us! Even Risa is probably alone again right now contemplating how best to make things up to you. Actually, you can forget about me, its Risa you should be worried about, she's your childhood friend right? If this continues, then everything will turn out like they planned! We can't let that happen, we can't fall into their trap!"

Chihiro, for the first time lifted her head towards the owner of the voice. Tadashi, who had once been one of her closest friends, a positive and energetic boy, now had dark heavy lines outlining his eyes, his hair a messy nest above his cracked lips. Did he always look like this? Chihiro's lips parted in thought, as if about to say something, but instead silently tore her eyes away from the bedraggled boy and once again made her way down the empty flight of steps.

"Chihiro! Chihiro…can you not see me anymore? Where are you now? I…For so long…About you I've-"

Chihiro stopped and once again lift her head towards Tadashi, who stood with clenched hands and a face a mixture of determination and hesitation, his eyes even from a distance boring into hers. No, she was sure it wasn't him that was in her dreams. She smiled emotionlessly.

"Thanks," she whispered before turning on her heels once and again and disappeared out of Tadashi's sight.


	3. 別れと再会:The Parting and Reunion

The house was eerily quiet in comparison to the sounds and smell of the cooking of dinner, which even though after nearly a year, her dad was still unable to master.

"Dad! I'm home."

She switched on the hallway light before calling out towards the second floor in case her father was still asleep. She was just about to call out again when a familiar handbag sitting on the entrance table caught her eye.

"Mum?" She muttered to herself first in puzzlement and then quickly looked around called again.

"Mum? Are you home?" this time more hopefully. She hadn't seen her mum in nearly a year. She was quite cold in regards to her daughter sometimes, but she was fair, at least most of the time. She walked hurriedly to the kitchen, which she realized was the only light still on in the house and flung open the door, only to stop in horror.

The kitchen was an absolute mess; plates had been flung around the room, covering the floor in a minefield of monochrome shards. The curtain had been ripped slightly from its hinge and hung in a deathlike trance. Chihiro, however took no notice of these and instead, ignoring the glass shards digging into her socks and feet, slowly made her way towards the center of the kitchen.

On the table, lay a small mountain of ripped paper, torn from an album that lay next to it, barely recognisable. Photos had been ripped from it, plastic and all, and each again ripped to unrecognizable states. With a shaky hand, Chihiro reached out and picked up a scrunched up fragment larger than the rest and instantly recognized her own stripe green shirt next to two others, pink and blue shirts. The photo, however had been ripped so that their neck and above had disappeared.

Chihiro slowly shook her head and gripped the decapitated photo harder in her fists as she looked around frantically. It wasn't them that did this, it couldn't have been. Her mom had left dad after many disagreements but Chihiro had always believed that it was one of the more peaceful resolutions, how everything would be back to normal as long as she waited. And she had waited for a year; it was only a matter of time, just a bit more…

"Mum! Dad!" Chihiro shouted this time as she ran out of the kitchen, out of the blue house which she had first hated, and now, hated even more, without stopping to wear shoes. Where were they? Maybe they had taken a walk? But where to? She just had to make sure with her own eyes, that everything was all right. She started to run down the grassy slope towards the highway connecting to the town as a short cut. In her haste however, she lost her footing and continued to slide down the steep slope, losing one of her socks and scratching herself countlessly in the process. She winced in pain, clutching her knee as it hit something as she came to a stop on a small flat graveled road. Through the pain she managed to make out the shape of what had hit her in the dark.

It was a little stone house, or more like houses, as she realized she had hit the little shrines that lay at the entrance of the forest they lived next to. Slowly, her anger evaporated as she took in the little houses.

_"__What are those stones? They look like little houses."_

_"__They're shrines. Some people say spirits live there."_

Shrines…The memory echoed inside her head. She was sure that voice was her mother's. They had been here before. When was it?

"Please spirits… can you take me to where he is?" He? Chihiro caught herself as she sat puzzled at her own prayer. He? She was supposed to be looking for her parents. But it wasn't long before she mocked herself for talking to herself. She stood up, brushing herself off and slowly looked towards the forest. It lay in silent wait with its gaping mouth before her. Maybe…just maybe? At that point she stopped thinking. There was something about this forest; there was something in there. She had been here with her parents before

_He _was in there.

There was someone else, the person Chihiro had been looking for, from a very long time ago. Who? She slowly forgot her objective of finding her parents, and in a trance like state, made her way deeper into the forest.

Chihiro found herself in a small clearing after walking for what seemed like only a few minutes. There, stood a small round statue which she could barely make out in the quickly fading sun seeping through the roof of leaves, and a building. By now Chihiro was entranced. She stroked the leaves off the statue, her eyes however fixated on the white building and the tunnel, which stretched out before her. She couldn't see the end, but the wind seemed to pull her in, _just like that time. _

Chihiro started to run, she had been here before, there was something on the other side that she had been searching for, for so long. The tunnel was near pitch dark, but she ran straight until she reached a large room full of broken furniture and empty benches. She continued to run further through the room until she reached the other side. She remembered now, so many things! _That world! _Her memories must have been erased. At least there was no other explanation as to why she possibly could have forgotten all those things that happened nearly 10 years ago. Rin, Kamaji, Boh, Yubaba, Zeniba, Kaonashi… and _him_…

What Chihiro found on the other side of the building took her breath away. It was so different from what she had seen the last time she had been here, enough to doubt whether her memories had really came back. Before her where once used to be an abandoned houses and statues, stretched out what looked like an amusement park filled with rows upon rows of tents. It was all empty of course as in this world the sun was just about to set, but that excited Chihiro even more as to what it would look like when the sun had set. So much had changed! Chihiro made her way through the weirdly new and old attractions and stores until she found herself standing at the foot of a bridge which led to the most important place of all: the bath house. It had not changed one bit, its largeness still amazed her. She realized then, that smoke trailed out of one of its chimneys and recognition hit her as she realized that it must be Kamajii that was awake.

But before that, she had to find _him. _Would he be angry that she came back? Or would he welcome her with open arms like she had dreamt of for so many times. Without taking notice of her odd bare and socked feet, she stepped onto the bridge, taking no notice of the warm chill that ran own her spine as she did so. She looked over the railing of the bridge to find herself looking at what seemed to be a huge rubble of old buildings and statues thrown in a heap over the bridge into the valley like clearing below, narrowly missing the train tracks.

Had they thrown all the old buildings in here to make space for the new? Well it did seem like something Yubaba would do in order to earn more money…Chihiro smiled to herself, which suddenly disappeared as chills ran down her spine. Chihiro snapped her head up, away from the view below as she sensed something unworldly close by. There stood the shadow of a child, a little boy, his back to the bathhouse. Even with no distinguishable facial features Chihiro could tell he was looking straight at her.

It felt familiar, and yet she could feel herself being scared. It took a step closer and Chihiro was finally able to slowly walk backwards, all the while unable to tear her eyes off from the child. He tried to take another step when Chihiro who was still scrambling backwards tripped as she caught her foot where the bridge and gravel road met. It all happened quickly, she braced herself for the fall as she shut her eyes, separating it from his and waited for the impact.

Instead, she felt someone strongly catch hold of her shoulders and grip her closely to their chest. Her heart immediately started beating as a voice closely behind her that she recognized all to well laughed and said;

"Did you lose your shoes again?"


	4. あの優しい目:Those Kind Eyes

_Author's Note: I've decided to write down some of the urban legends per chapter just as it's so interesting. If anyone else knows of some, please let me know! Hehehe So one is that when Chihiro first enters the clock tower building, you'll notice that it's red. However at the end when she leaves and looks back after leaving Haku it is actually white. The Legend behind this is that this is because the magic from the spirit world is now gone and is back to a normal building, so even if she was to go back, there would only be a plain field. (I and my story don't support this reason however hahaha I think there's another reason__J__) Reviews also are greatly appreciated! Im thinking on shortening the chapters and endless details? haha_

"Did you lose your shoes again?"

The voice ran in Chihiro's ear like a song.

"Haku!" She span around. "…Right?" There stood a man with dark green hair which reached his shoulders, just a bit longer than Chihiro last remembered. His clothes shone a gorgeous white, outlined with mint green and intricate gold patterns. On his face, however, he wore a matching green and gold mask which covered most signs of familiarity. His eyes were just barely visible in the near dark, however, Chihiro was pretty certain that they were the beloved brilliant green she had always known.

"Welcome home Sen." It was weird, even though he wore a full-faced mask, his voice was not muffled in the slightest and she could hear it clearly ring in her ears. Shaking this off, she asked nervously,

"You're not angry?" She suddenly became too shy to meet his eyes and lowered her face slightly, while still trying to take in the new details which stood before her. Wait, 'Sen'? Didn't he always call her by her real name? But then again she had in turn never called him by his real name either.

"Of course I'm not. Why should I be? If anything its my fault that I was unable to come meet you." His voice suddenly became serious. "I'm so sorry Sen.." So many questions burned in Chihiro's head. What had happened? Why had her memories been erased? What had happened while she was gone? Why had he not come to visit her in all those nine years? Had he not promised?

But just then as he apologized, Haku reached out to Chihiro and cupped her face in his hands, bringing it up and closer to his. She forgot to breathe as suddenly she found herself looking deep into Haku's eyes, and all the questions buzzing in her mind suddenly turned blank. For awhile, it was just Haku and Chihiro. Nothing else mattered. Nothing, except-

Chihiro span around, breaking herself free from his eye-hold to where the shadow once stood on the bridge. She had completely forgotten about it, having being mesmerized by Haku's presence but it had suddenly come back inside her head. The bridge, however, was empty.

"Sen?" Haku asked, his voice puzzled.

"I-Its nothing." Chihiro stuttered. The existence of shadows in this world wasn't unusual. She shook her head. "Anyways, why do you wear a mask?"

She nearly heard him smile.

"Why, that's because," he announced as he grandly swept his arms and bowed deeply. "I've come to accompany you to the spirit world's grand welcoming festival, my princess."

Chihiro gasped.

She noticed for the first time over Haku's bowed back that it had turned to complete dark already, and the spirit world was now in full action. It was different from before, and it was beautiful. The tents that Chihiro had seen earlier bustled with activity as food and old fashioned games stalls proudly stood side by side in competition all the way into the far distance. She suddenly noticed the sounds of flutes and music in the background, and there was spirits everywhere. In the distance she could make out a large ferris wheel that she had not noticed earlier, adorned with bright lights and lanterns, which seemed to float without anything holding them.

Haku stood straight again and watched Chihiro's delighted face for a moment.

"Let's go, I've been waiting for so long to take you here.'' Haku intertwined his fingers into Chihiro's, sending goose bumps all the way along her arms. Forgetting all questions, Chihiro let herself be lead into the festival in a dream like stance, failing, however, to notice Haku silently clicking his fingers behind his back. There was a small burst of blue light and a white fox that hidden itself in the shadows of a bush yelped before sprinting back on the bridge and away into the darkness.


	5. 涙の祭: Festival of tears

_Author's Note: A more famous interpretation of the movie is that the bathhouse is in fact a brothel based on older eras. This story will have nothing to do with that (my child hood memories T T) even though these urban legends are dark as it is. Also! Apparently the book that this movie was based on; seems to have appeared in ghibli movie, "whisper of the heart", as the protagonist is caught to have been reading it in one scene! So many crossovers! Anyways now.. more of Haku. He seems different from before :0_

Chihiro gripped her mask closer to her face as the wind from the giant swings beat against it. She too had worn a mask which she had received from a shop surprisingly without having to pay, as she realized that most spirits around her too wore a similar mask. It was a custom of the festival. She also realized that while the others exchanged gold coins, the two were able to receive food for free as well, only after several deep bowing of the sellers. The question didn't linger for long inside her mind.

"Did you enjoy it?" Haku asked as the ride finally came to a stop.

Chihiro grinned "I did, it was great!" Her smile faltered. "But it would be more fun if you came on with me,'' she added, mumbling.

He chuckled, a sound that made Chihiro's heart leap every time.

"Here, I'll ride this one with you."

"A merry go round? I'm not a child anymore Haku!" Chihiro crossed her arms in a pout. He laughed again.

"Sorry, sorry. I do know, it's been quite awhile hasn't it."

"I know, you're just scared of heights aren't you?" She jeered. Haku cocked his head to the side inquisitively.

"Oh, am I?" He beckoned Chihiro closer. She did so suspiciously, when suddenly Haku swept her up in his arms in a firm hold and jumped. It was flight more than a jump. He took off the ground gracefully and in a flurry of downrush air, Chihiro found her self floating midair above the spirit world.

The spirit world had in fact, become a whole theme park-like place, filled with attractions and festivities. In the distant she could make out the Bathhouse too, which seemed to be busy judging by the amount of passer-bys on the bridge.

"I keep forgetting you can fly sometimes.'' Chihiro admitted her defeat, still in awe of the night view. She moved her mask to the side for a better view.

"By the way, how is Lin and Kamaji and the rest? You were able to be freed from the contract of the bathhouse right?'' She felt Haku's hands tighten around her waist. Surprised, she looked back towards Haku. He too faced the bath house.

"I have been freed, thanks to you Sen." He whispered, almost sorrowfully. "But, you must never go there again. Do you understand Sen? You must always stay by my side" His voice this time was firm.

"Why?" Chihiro objected. It's been so long! I promise I wont sign a contract again, I just want to see how they are."

"No, you MUST promise me Sen, that you'll never go near the bathhouse again." His voice sounded nearly angry and almost at a shout. Surprised, she became speechless and sadly lowered her eyes. Haku looked back at her and realizing her sudden sadness apologized hurriedly.

"I don't mean to make you sad Sen, but please believe me on this."

Chihiro didn't answer this, and instead reached her hands to Haku's face that was so close to hers. She could feel him tense. She slipped her hands to the edge of the mask and lightly was about to pull it off when-

"No!" Haku yelled and grabbed Chihiro's hand. In a split second where he let her go, she felt herself drop, but not before Haku grabbed her again, and this time they floated back down to the music and the bustle of the festivities.

"Why?" Chihiro demanded. "You're hiding something from me!"

"I can't! Not everything will go your way Sen!" She flinched at his rising voice, but by now, she was getting angry too. She could feel Haku holding back something; he had avoided many of her questions too. Realization hit her.

That's why your getting me to ride all these by myself aren't you? To avoid my questions…I have a right to know too! It's my memories that were tampered with, and on top of that you're forbidding me from meeting anyone else! Who else am I supposed to ask?"

"You-"

"Master Haku." His reply was broken off as a small figure also with a mask bowed and cut into their fight. 'Master?' Looking closely, Chihiro realized that she had seen the mask a lot around the park that night, it must've been a staff thing as most of those wearing this masked bowed frantically upon their passing throughout the night including the ones operating the machines and those behind the stalls.

"Go away, I'm in the middle of something right now," Haku snapped and waved his hands in dismissal. The figure bowed nervously and stammered again.

"I-I've been told that two new humans have entered and are on their way to the bathhouse."

Irritated, Haku lifted his hands up in a motion to wave it off again, when suddenly he stopped. "This feeling…I've been careless." He dropped his arms and faced Chihiro.

"Forgive me Sen, there's something I must do, but I shall return immediately. Do not move one step from here until I've come back for you. There's something I must tell you later." Without waiting for her reply, Haku sweeped off into the busy crowd, the masked little child following nervously behind his step until he completely disappeared from Chihiro's view.

She felt tears well up inside her eyes. They had met after so long, and yet she had made him angry. Why weren't things going as she'd imagined? All those dreams, now felt useless. She slumped in a bench positioned a little outside the fray and bustle of the festival, and was fighting back her tears with clenched arms, when something in the bushes of the surrounding forest caught her eye.

A white fox, was beckoning to her, its fur glowing a dazzling silver-white from the reflection of the moon above as it danced in and out of the edge of the forest.

Chihiro hesitated. Haku had told her to stay where she was until he came back, and for all she knew, the fox might've been a trap for humans like her. However, somehow, she couldn't sense any danger in the pure being, and after a lot more hesitation and repetitive dancing and beckoning on the fox's part, Chihiro slipped off the bench and followed it into the forest. She would be back long before Haku's return. And if not, well, he'd just have to understand that Chihiro was not _his. _She was stronger than she used to be.

The fox continued to intertwine quickly through the bushes, every then and again, pausing to allow Chihiro to catch up. Panting, Chihiro leant against a fence to catch her breath as the fox suddenly came to a stop in a small clearing behind what seemed to be a wall. On the other side, Chihiro could make out a bustle of more people.

There was a pop and a puff of smoke, as surprise and recognition lit up Chihiro's face. She ran to hug the person who had appeared in front of her.

"Rin!"


	6. 真実の欠片:A Fragment of Truth

_Author's Note: Sorry for those reading from before, i made some confusing changes and added a prologue as the stories getting clearer:) Anyways, the fact that Rin is a fox is apparently true as there is said to be an official design sketch of Rin with the name in a bracket, 'White fox'. :))_

"Rin! Long time no see!" She ran up to her friend.

"Why the hell did you come back!" Chihiro froze

"Huh..." She was taken aback by the fierceness and anger in Rin's eyes.

"W- was I not supposed to?" Chihiro's voice faltered and shoulders dropped. She felt quite hurt; her friend that she had not seen for so long was angry more than joyed at her return.

Rin sighed. "Not now at least; if only you'd waited a little longer."

"How much longer!? It's been 9 years since then, I couldn't come back earlier since my memories had been wiped, but…" Chihiro bit her lips as she felt tears coming to her eyes again. Was she really not welcomed here to that extent? What had she done?

Rin's anger faltered as she realised her word's impact.

"Wait…that's not what I mean. I'm sorry Sen, you've grown so much since then." Rin smiled warmly.

"But, this world is on the brink of war right now, what I'm trying to say, is that you'll be in danger here."

"War!? Here? But it looks so peaceful!" She nearly shouted in disbelief.

"Yeah so it would seem from a glance." Rin looked woefully into the distance.

"Rin…tell me what's going on here. What's happened in the time I've been gone?"

Rin hesitated, avoiding eye contact. Chihiro grabbed onto Rin's shoulder and shook it forcefully. They were nearly the same height now.

"Rin! Tell me what's going on. NOW."

Rin was about to open her mouth when they both heard the bushes nearby shake. Rin tensed immediately and crouched, growling. There was no sign of anybody, as the sound of flutes and music seeped in from the distance.

"We shouldn't be here," Rin stood up and scanned the forest again grabbing Chihiro's arm. "We'll talk in the bathhouse, it's the only safe place here, his men must be nearby." Chihiro hesitated against Rin's pull.

"What's wrong? We need to hurry."

"The bathhouse, he…Haku told me not to enter…"

Rin's eyes opened wide as she froze at the name. "Haku!? Did you see him?" This time it was Rin who shook Chihiro's shoulders.

"Are you sure? Are you sure you saw him?"

"So did something really happen between him and bath house? Is it because he was freed? Was he banished?" Chihiro blurted out.

"No…If he's still alive…that can only mean…" Rin mumbled under her breath.

"'Still alive'? Tell me what in the world happened?" Rin shook her head.

"I can't explain here, it's too dangerous. Sen, you've just got to believe me and come in the bathhouse. It's the only way we can save you, or maybe both of you."

Rin opened a trap door as light from the otherside poured into their shadowy hideout. Chihiro hesitated again. There was no way her friend could do her any harm. But then again, Haku had also told her not to go near the bathhouse, and there had to be a reason behind that. But then again in comparison to Haku who was hiding everything from her, she felt that Rin was the only key to all her questions. Chihiro nodded and crouched down.

"Let's go." Rin smiled with relief.

"Ah, before that, that mask." Rin pointed to the mask which Chihiro had received earlier at the festival.

"What, this? What about it?"

"You should wear it while we cross the bridge. I don't know what will happen if other spirits see you at the moment."

Chihiro nodded as they crawled through the trap door, only to find herself right at the base of the bridge. She swallowed nervously; there were spirits everywhere and the bathhouse seemed even packed more than before. Last time she had came, it had been Haku that had helped her. Slipping her mask on, she felt her-self unconsciously take a deep breath as she followed Rin onto the bridge. The same warm feeling as she had this morning when she stepped onto the bridge ran down her spine, just as she heard someone call her name.

'Chihiro!" She froze, her heart beating madly. For a split second she thought that it was Haku's but then again, his voice was lower than that. It sounded familiar. She stopped and looked behind to see if she saw anyone familiar. The path, however was filled with unfamiliar faces of spirits.

"What's wrong?" Rin had come back when she realised that the girl was nowhere behind her. Chihiro slowly shook her head, her eyes still scanning the crowd.

"I thought…no, doesn't matter."

"Rin grabbed her arm again. "Let's hurry, it's still dangerous here."

The two successfully reached the other side of the bridge with no problem and proceeded to make their way down the back stairs, the same way Chihiro had gone when she had first stumbled upon the bathhouse. It was still as old as ever, and missing a few steps. It seemed more ominous than before however, as even in the dark, Chihiro could still make out the sea of rubble more clearly than the morning. She didn't stop to ask however as she concentrated on not slipping to her death, and made a mental note to ask later. Rin was already at the bottom by the time Chihiro had made it to the middle, waving with her hand on the door for Chihiro to hurry up.

By the time she caught up to her, Chihiro found herself in a familiar room surrounded by little black balls all squealing excitedly.

"Kamaji!" Chihiro shouted excitedly as she ran up to the 6 armed old man and tightly hugged him.

"Sen! Look at you, you've grown so much!" Chihiro grinned widely before bending down to take off her shoes and socks.

"Hey guys, long time no see! Take care of these again for me please." She smiled at the excited soot balls as they gathered around her shoes, before making her way up to where Rin paced about the narrow room anxiously. She stopped suddenly and looked up towards the old man.

"Kamaji…Sen… apparently saw Haku." It was almost a whisper.

"Haku!?" Rin nodded curtly before crossing her arms and leant against the wall of various sized drawers.

"But that's impossible. He should be…" He sighed in deep thought.

"What happened? It's time for you to tell me, Kamaji, Rin. You promised you will if I came. I know that something's wrong, I can't help if either of you won't tell me!" She looked desperately towards Rin. "Please!?"

Rin continued to avoid her eyes and hid her face behind her long her. Exasperated, Chihiro looked towards Kamaji for help.

"Sen, you don't know anything right." She shook her head.

"If I did, I wouldn't be begging you." He smiled sadly.

"That's true. Then I'll ask you, are you sure you saw Haku?"

"Ofco-" Chihiro stopped midsentence. Had she seen him? After all he wore a mask, his clothes looked different, and he didn't call her name like she used to. However, there was something about him that seemed familiar; whether it was his voice or his touch. She was positive that it was him. She nodded slowly. "I'm pretty sure."

Kamaji scratched his head in thought.

"Why? Is there a reason why It couldn't have been him?"

"Did he tell you something before you left? For example to never look back?." Kamaji started slowly, as if carefully choosing his words.

Chihiro nodded, he had made her promise to never look back until she was on the other side. "He did. How did you know?"

"That was probably…to protect you. Or I mean he didn't want you to see what would happen to him or, I mean-"

"Happen to him? Like?" Chihiro edged on. Kamaji fidgeted nervously, still carefully choosing his next words.

"He was-"

"Killed." Rin had pushed herself off the wall and stood staring straight into Chihiro's incredulous eyes.

"He was killed by Yubaba."


	7. 裏切者:The Traitor

There was visible hesitation in Rin's eyes. "At least, that's what we hoped…"

"Why would you hope for such a thing?" Chihiro demanded, her temper slowly rising. "He might've been horrible a long time ago, but that was Yubaba's contract's fault, and not his!"

"We know." Rin admitted silently. Chihiro faltered as Kamaji nodded his head towards Rin and turned to her.

"Sen, this world is on the brink of war, what you see now may only be illusions of what you desire most; for that is what the park does to you. You MUST be wary of that park, as it will slowly consume your soul by feasting on those desires. That is how it captures its visitors – like an open mouth trap.

9 years ago, thanks to you Sen, yubaba loosened her iron like grip of her rules and hatred towards humans and even sometimes turned a blind eye to the visitation of humans. She even hired two I heard, here at the bathhouse, for those who lost their way and asked for help."

Chihiro smiled to herself, she knew that Granny had changed. He continued.

"This was the beginning of the tip of the equilibrium that had been maintained in this world, as humans refused to leave, and those that did, broke the law by attempting to take what wasn't their back to their world; even stealing from the gods."

Kamaji fell silent as his eyes trailed towards Rin as if seeking permission to continue. Rin however, had her eyes towards the corner of the room again and showed no sign of participating in the conversation.

He sighed. "There was one God in particular, however, who was furious about these outcomes, and in his fury, mistakenly took the life of two humans. But he didn't stop there, the more he killed, the more he sought; to eradicate every human life that he could find in the world, until, there were only 2 left."

"The ones with Yubaba…" Chihiro breathed.

Kamaji nodded. "It is against the rules to kill another without a just purpose. To kill for revenge? It was unheard of. Moreover a God at that too, and quite a well known one. Yubaba refused at first to hand over the two, for the sake of protecting her pride or the humans themselves, we don't know. But nonetheless this led to the God's further infuriation, resulting in a split between the two sides, those that sided with the God in support of removing all humans, and those that were already under Yubaba or who refused to take part in the killing of humans."

So that was what Kamaji meant by war, Chihiro felt as if she had played a major part in the happening of the war. If she had not come and familiarised herself with Yubaba and the others here, would any of that still have happened?

"It's not your fault Sen." Kamaji said firmly, as if he had read her mind, as he gripped her shoulders and shook them. " This would have happened someday or another, as long as the two worlds are connected, we have no choice but to live side by side."

"What he says is true." Rin added, still avoiding eye contact. "It is Kitsune's fault."

"Rin!" Kamaji growled.

"What does it matter old man? Who can it be but him?" Rin shouted, clenching her fists.

"We have no solid proof, it is not fair on Kitsune or yourself to jump to conclusions!"

"'Kitsune'?" Repeated Chihiro. Why did it feel so familiar? Her eyes automatically snapped towards Rin as she remembered the spirit that had led Sen here to the bathhouse.

"A fox…white fox…" Chihiro gasped.

"We can't be sure, but for now, it seems so." Kamaji stared deep into the fire.

Chihiro hadn't the heart to confirm with Rin whether the fox god Kitsune was indeed Rin's ancestor or family. The look in her eyes however, said it all.

"That idiot Kitsune waged war against Yubaba in order to forcefully drag the humans out and claim right over the spirit world in a desperate attempt to restore its former pride." Rin spat, this time taking over the narration. "Yubaba's strong, but by then, most outside gods had taken Kitsune's side and the old woman was pushed back to the bathhouse. In the end, all she could do was muster up her remaining strength and create a barrier surrounding the bathhouse."

"A barrier?" Questioned Chihiro thoughtfully.

Kamaji glanced towards Sen. "You felt it too didn't you?"

Chihiro suddenly remembered the warm feeling she had felt as she had stepped foot onto the bridge which led to the bathhouse.

"Was it to keep out Kitsune? Why was I able to enter?"

"Not just Kitsune, but any spirit or being that has formed a contract with him. You haven't signed any so you are still able to cross both worlds."

"Contracts? What for?"

"To make you pledge your faith in him." Rin answered, waving her hand in the air. Chihiro was relieved to see that Rin looked like she had gone back to her usual complaining attitude.

"They take your identity, just like Yubaba ours. However with him, he doesn't take your name, he takes your face. They seem to still have their memories, but no will. Just like a mere living puppet." Rin scowled in hatred.

"Anyways, I need to go back now, but Sen," Rin gave Chihiro a small encouraging smile. "You're safe here now, and you know where to find me. We'll talk more later, but please remember to take care of yourself, and please don't leave the bathhouse." She squeezed Chihiro's shoulder lightly before ducking out of the room.

Chihiro stood for a moment in silence as she thought back to what the two had told them, as behind her, the sounds of Kamaji's work started up again.

"Don't worry about it too much, id suggest you go home to your world before you're forced to sign any contract, but I doubt you will. Am i right?" Kamaji chuckled.

Chihiro smiled. "You're right. I'll finish what I started. I think I have an idea, thanks grandpa."

The old man raised his hands towards Chihiro as she opened the door towards the basement of the bathhouse, and grinned widely, sticking his thumb up.

"Good luck."


	8. 君は:You Are

_hi~! Just thought i should apologise in advance for those dear readers who are reading this (thank you!) that the next few chapters get quite dark:( i guess it's more like Gedo Senki (tales of earthsea), and also for those that dislike Haku and Chihiro's proximity!? there will be abit of romance between the two, hope it doesn't cross any boundaries o_0 anyways thanks for the review and hope you enjoy~!:)_

Chihiro weaved her way through the crowd, deep in thought.

If anyone knew anything about what had really happened, it could only be Yubaba. She, however was not at the bathhouse, or so the bothersome door knocker had told her.

"Yubabas not here, brat. Go play along somewhere else."

If grandma wasn't in the office, where else could she have gone? It would have been too dangerous in her condition to leave the bathhouse. While Chihiro pondered over such thoughts, she suddenly realised that she was in a completely unfamiliar place. She had snuck out of the bathhouse despite Rin's warnings and had attempted to make her way back to where Haku had left her, however, she realised that in this new world, she had no idea how to do so.

"HUMAN! IT'S A HUMAN!"

Chihiro span around to find a frog-like spirit mother grasp her frightened child as she pointed towards Chihiro with a look of disgust and fear on her face, catching the attention of a group of uniformed spirits hidden behind familiar masks, and with long Katana-swords hanging by their waist. One gave a shout for the others as they immediately ran towards Chihiro as she ran away in panic. She had completely forgotten about the mask back at Kamaji's room, and now she slightly regretted coming back out alone against Rin's pleas.

Chihiro clumsily weaved her way through the now thinning crowd as they gasped and huddled away from the approaching chaos, some even attempting to grab at Chihiro as they repeatedly shouted 'Humans! Humans!' She gritted her teeth whilst dodging through stalls, all the while getting more and more lost and the chasers closer than ever. If only she could find Haku! She was sure without any evidence that he would be able to save her, as long as she was able to find him…

Chihiro, however, as at a dead end.

She gasped for breath as she backed against the wall and span around to find that the chasers too, trying to collect their breath had blocked her only escape way. One, at the front, pulled out his katana from his waist and pointed it at Chihiro

"Don't kill her." One of the guards advised, sounding almost amused.

"Not this time." The guard with the sword seemed to smirk.

Chihiro felt around her in the near dark for something she could use as a weapon, only to find a small rock to her disappointment. The guard seemed to notice this too as they laughed in amusement.

"There's nothing you can do, give up useless human brat." It scorned, raising his katana and began running towards her.

"Not until I meet Haku I won't!" Chihiro shouted as she braced herself for the hit.

The guard stopped and hesitated at the name, "You know Haku-sama? Are you-"

There was a flurry of wind followed swiftly by a deafening sound of metal clashing as it echoed through the empty alleyway. Chihiro braised herself again.

"I told you not to touch her." The voice was both lifeless and bone-chilling, and yet it was somewhat familiar. She looked up immediately, to find the guard scared stiff, shaking on the ground, still grasping what remained of his katana which had snapped in half. Haku stood with his back to Chihiro, with a katana pointed under the poor guard's mask, right at his neck.

"H-H-Haku-sama, I d-didn't k-know."

Haku drew his katana slightly away from the terrified guard, as he gulped in relief. Haku's voice remained monotonous.

"That's not good enough." Haku swung his sword slightly as the guard collapsed silently to the ground. Whether he had lost consciousness in fear, or something else, Chihiro was never able to find out, as at that moment, she felt her own legs give away and her consciousness too fade as she dropped to the ground.


	9. 口づけと銀髪少女:Kiss & the Silver Haired Girl

Chihiro thashed about as she felt something chocking her, her head still dizzy. She managed to open her eyes slightly, only to find that she was underwater – she had no air. She started swimming up in a frenzy, clutching her throat in pain. However the more she swam, the more she realised that she was getting no where. She winced as her consciousness began to fade again. Just then, something caught her eye, as she barely made out the sillhoutte of a black shadow in the distance. It was _it._ Chihiro reached out in desperation to it, and she knew it saw her too. It seemed to stare at her for a few moments, before almost disappointedly turning its back to her and fading further into the distance.

"Ha…ku…" Chihiro shouted on impulse as it disappeared, the last of her air escaping in small bubbles, and once again she felt her vision going black…

Chihiro woke up with a start, gasping for breath. Her hands automatically reached for her throat as she sat up, whilst her eyes slowly adjusted to her surroundings.

"A dream…?" Chihiro mumbled. It had felt so _real. _She looked around. She was in a stone room, occupied only by one large bed which she sat upon, and a simple table and chair with a single fancy lamp upon it. Moonlight seeped feebly in through the barred windows, illuminating the lavish designs of the bed cover which sorely stood out from bare emptiness of the rest of the room.

She dropped her hands back into her lap, when she felt something hard brush against it. She felt her way into her pockets, to find herself clutching a crumpled piece of paper. Puzzled and still somewhat dazed by the realistic dream, she smoothened out the paper and held it in the dim moonlight. It was a photo, of three people standing side by side. Their heads however, were all missing as it had been ripped in half. She studied the photo for a moment tracing the outline of the middle figure, before realisation hit her.

Her parents. The reason why she had stumbled across this world again. She had, in the midst of her excitement of reuniting with everyone, completely forgotten about them. In a panic she was about to climb out of bed; there seemed to be no danger of Yubaba turning them into pigs this time, however, it may have become even more dangerous for them, when the door at the front of the room creaked open, and a soft light filled the room.

Chihiro winced. It wasn't bright, but even the smallest of light made her feel dizzy. She covered her eyes.

"How are you feeling?"

"Haku?" Chihiro peered through her fingers to find Haku walking into the room, holding what seemed to be a ball of fire. He extinguished it immediately upon seeing her pained expression and strode to her side, pushing her back under the sheets and against the pillow.

"You mustn't get up yet, your body's still weak." Chihiro shoved the photo back into her pocket discreetly as Haku tucked her under the sheets and sat next to her on the edge of her bed.

"How long have I been out?" Chihiro questioned, slightly disappointed that the mask still hid his face.

"Two days. The doctor said it was mere exhaustion, you'll need to get more rest." Chihiro sunk under the sheets as silence prevailed. His voice was gentle but there was something frightening about him. He lift his palm to Chihiro's forehead, as she shuddered at his touch. The night before, that guard, it all came back to her.

"The guard…" Chihiro started. "What…happened to him?"

Haku removed his hand as he seemed content that she had no fever.

"What guard?"

"The…the one that tried to kill me? When I got lost?" Haku cocked his head to the side inquisitively.

"You must have been dreaming Sen. I found you lying on the floor of the alleyway, you must've gotten lost. And about that," Haku's voice turned slightly stern. "Why did you move when I told you to stay there?"

Chihiro sat in silence, puzzled. It couldn't have been a dream, she remembered clearly after returning from the bathhouse that she had got lost and chased. Haku was wearing something different that time, but that voice was definitely his. There was something off.

Chihiro laughed apologetically.

"Stupid me, I thought id get some water, and on the way back I forgot where I was and must've gotten lost."

Haku sighed in exasperation.

"I can't always stay by your side, even though id wish for nothing more. That's why Sen, sign a contract with me."

Chihiro froze at the word. _Contract…_Rin and Kamaji had told her something about it.

"_They take your identity… your face. They seem to still have their memories, but no will. Just like a mere living puppet."_

"I-I…" Chihiro racked her brains in a panic, something…anything to avoid this topic. "My parents!" She blurted out.

"Your parents?" Haku repeated.

"Y-yeah, I saw my parents at the festival, at least I think I did. The moment I reached them they seemed to disappear and I couldn't find them." A plan started to form in her mind. She faked helplessness as she continued, carefully choosing her words from what Kamaji had told her before.

"I see so many things that I desire, and yet when I reach out, they disappear, I cant believe anything anymore! Even you Haku…You're always wearing a mask, you in the end might be an illusion as well…"

She felt fake tears well up in her eyes, which was, a mixture of guilt as well as she cursed herself mentally for lying to Haku. Was it working? She peered at Haku through her act. To her surprise, she found him nodding.

"I understand, I apologize for hiding myself from you Sen. For reasons I cannot mention, I mustn't be seen outside without this, but if it's you, I can trust you." Guilt stabbed at Chihiro's heart as Haku reached up to his mask slowly removed it, laying it on the foot of the bed.

Chihiro stared, mesmerized, not realizing that she had stopped breathing all together. There next to her sat Haku, nearly exactly as she remembered. Deep emerald eyes and long lashes, pale white skin, looking as if he had barely aged, and yet much more mature than he had last been.

There was however, something different. Deep black scares had been carved into his face, and across his right eye down to his chin. They resembled something like characters. She wanted to ask what these were, trying to find her voice and breath, when Haku suddenly reached out his hands to cup her chin, drawing it slowly close to his face.

Unaware of her crazily pounding heart, she found herself locked into his eyes as it drew closer and closer. It was him…What had Rin and the others been talking about, what had she doubted? He was here, right next to him all this time.

She could feel his warm breath of her lips, her eyes still wide open and his face just inches from hers, when suddenly, there was a short rap at the door, and an unfamiliar voice from the other side.

"Haku-Sama. You have a visitor."

Haku stopped, releasing his hold on Chihiro and swiftly readjusted his mask.

"Come in, Nagi." Chihiro gasped for air as she covered her mouth with a shaking hand. What were they about to do? Her mind was in a state of panic again.

The door creaked open and in the door way stood a figure with another mask. Chihiro breathed in in surprise, as her eyes fell upon the figure, her long silver hair seeming to absorb the moonlight and fill the room with a soft radiance. Her slender fingers gently held a fan which she used to hide her already hidden face. She bowed gracefully towards Haku.

"Forgive me Haku-sama. I did not know you were with a guest."

"That's fine. What's wrong?"

"The captain of the southern border is waiting for you at the main room for-" She glanced towards Chihiro, who had bolted out of bed and stood rigid next to it.

Haku nodded curtly. "Ill head there now. Please take care of Sen whilst I'm out, Nagi." The beautiful figure, Nagi as Haku called her swept into the room to allow Haku to walk out and bowed until he disappeared out the corridor.

"I understand."

When Haku's footsteps could be heard no more, Chihiro nervously approached the newcomer.

"I-I'm Sen. Nice to-"

She had barely taken one step when Nagi, in a blink of the eye, shut her fan, crossed the room and pointed the fan which now had a short blade protruding from its tip against Chihiro's throat.

"I'll have you die here, human girl."


	10. 凪との約束:Nagi's Promise

Nagi smirked, her malicious intent unwavering.

"You seem unfazed, girl."

Chihiro had stood her ground and looked firmly between the mask's eyes.

"You're not the first that's tried to kill me. Also if you'd really had intended to kill me, you would have done so already without announcing it. Am I wrong?"

The girl scowled, digging her fan deeper into Chihiro's neck. She winced as she felt its sharp tip cut into her skin. She refused to back down.

"You have nerve human, to talk like that to a God like me."

"Why does a God then, have a need to kill something as lowly as a human? Will killing me help anything in any way at all?"

Nagi chuckled. "You've got a point. No, it won't be for any major cause, but It shall certainly help ease Haku's pain."

"His pain?" Chihiro's resolve wavered momentarily. Nagi smirked again.

"Yes, because of you, he is in this state. Because of you, he cannot fully regain his power. If only you'd disappear, well, that's an eyesore gone."

Chihiro felt something warm trickle down the base of her neck. She thought for a moment.

"If, your intentions are to save Haku, then we have the same goal. Why don't we work together, it should at least save us some time."

There was a burst of laughter, it sounded melodic and graceful yet, it somehow sent chills down Chihiro's back. Nagi pulled the fan away, fanning herself gracefully, whilst Chihiro drank in air again in relief.

"You think you can find a way to save Haku from his pain, when you are the one that caused it?" Nagi tested.

"Do you know what happened to him? What happened nine years ago?" A flicker of hope sparked inside Chihiro, this girl might have all the answers she was looking for.

Nagi studied her silently for a few moments, before slowly choosing her words, her voice dripping with amusement.

"You just saw the engravings on his face did you not? Do you know what they are?"

"No I-wait, how did you know I just saw them?" Chihiro asked suspiciously. "You, that timing, you were listening the whole time weren't you?" Realization dawned on Chihiro.

The girl laughed again. "Of course. I can't have you getting too friendly with him. He was doing fine without you coming back. What were you hoping for, his affection?"

Chihiro glared. It was true she might have been hoping for something, a lot actually, but Nagi's interference was starting to tick her off.

"You seem to know a lot about him. What are you to him?" Chihiro despised the pangs of jealousy she felt; if the two had an intimate relationship while she was gone, there was no way she could compete with someone as beautiful as Nagi.

Nagi smiled. "Were just…childhood friends. I've known him for centuries."

Chihiro waited for a deeper explanation, however as a short silence prevailed, she realized that nothing was following. She bit her tongue – their relationship had no importance now, she had to first figure out how to work with the girl without getting killed.

"Anyways, no. I've no idea what the writing means. Care to explain?"

Nagi seemed to enjoy having the upper step in her knowledge of Haku as she fanned herself joyously.

"Those are the ancient writings of a curse, that of an undead. A being who is neither able to walk the earth as a full-bodied spirit, nor that of the dead. He is tied to walk on the earth as the despised. Do you know why this happened girl?"

Chihiro shook her head impatiently. All these questions were staring to irritate her.

"Because of his promise, girl. His promise, with you in fact."

"M-me? What promise?" Chihiro stuttered.

"Well, you should ask that to yourself. Did he not make any promise with you on the day of you departure years ago?"

Chihiro traced her mind back to the day of Yubaba's test. She had passed it, and the two had run together back to the entrance of the world.

_Will we meet again?_

_I promise. _

"Our promise to meet again…" Chihiro muttered slowly.

Nagi scoffed. "So that was the promise. How worthless. Well, Haku had made another promise to Yubaba simultaneously in order to save you. I don't know of the full details, but when you were stupid enough to board that train and go to Zeniba's, Haku made Yubaba promise to return you to the human world, in exchange for getting killed, ripped to shreds to be precise."  
Chihiro gasped in horror. "It can't be, Granny isn't the type of person that would say such a thing!"

Nagi shrugged carelessly. "Who knows what the old prick was thinking at that time. Regardless of the reason, a promise is a promise. One to meet you, and one to end his life. This resulted in the breaking of fundamental law of this world; to keep one's promises. And now, he is reduced to such a state, cursed and unable to die, unable to live. Knowing this, can you still say you'll be able to save him?" Nagi shut her fan abruptly.

Everything was starting to make sense now. Chihiro swayed on her feet. Everything…. was all her fault? All whilst she had forgotten all about it and was living peacefully in the other world? His kindness tore at her heart.

"What do you say now? Do you agree that your sacrifice will ease his burden?"

"No." Chihiro mentally shook herself. "If it really is my fault, whatever happens, ill find a way to break this curse then. Whether in the process it takes my life, I don't care. But I need to at least try my best before so." The firmness in her voice seemed to resonate in Nagi. She studied Chihiro's look of determination for a moment, before fanning herself again and began to exit the room. She stopped at the doorway.

"Fine. I give you 10 days, and within those 10 days, if you do not find the solution, then your death shall be so."

She nodded as Nagi disappeared gracefully, leaving Chihiro to curl into a ball on the stone floor to clench her shaking arms.


	11. 僕が斬る！:I'll get revenge!

Chihiro stared up at the bath house's wall in exasperation. She was determined to do this, and yet it seemed she lacked the courage she had 9 years ago. She sighed. She had to get back to the castle - which she called the bare abode – as soon as possible, or this time Nagi would actually slaughter her.

"Here goes nothing." Chihiro muttered to herself, tightening her sleeves, when suddenly she heard a shout from behind her.

"A human!"

"Not again." Chihiro rolled her eyes as she turned around, wondering who could be up at such an early hour, as the sun glared painfully above.

She gasped as soon as her eyes fell upon the owner of the voice.

It was Haku. Or a mini-Haku. Or a mini-Haku lookalike. Chihiro stared in awe at the little boy who looked about 8 years old, standing with a fierce expression, his hair was a familiar emerald green similar to that of his eyes.

"Disappear murderer!"

"Me? Murderer?" Chihiro repeated puzzled, and jumped back against the wall as Haku's doppelganger charged towards her with a war cry, and pulled out something from his sleeve which resembled a small knife. He ran quite fast for someone his age, and would have been slightly fearful looking, if only he had made his target.

Instead, mini Haku tripped, sprawling onto the ground as the knife flew far from his hands and landed next to Chihiro.

She picked it up, trying to suppress laughter at the cuteness of the boy as she imagined Haku doing the same thing and offered her hand as he tried to get back up.

"Are you alright Haku-I mean sorry, you look exactly like someone I know." The boy scowled at Chihiro, before swiftly grabbing the sword out of Chihiro's hand.

"Hey-"

"My names not Haku, its Saku, Murderer." Chihiro crowched down beside him.

"Then Saku, I'm not a murderer either. You don't like it when I-"

"You will be." Saku cut in, tucking the knife back into his sleeves, and looked straight into Chihiro's eyes.

"Someday you will be. That's why I'll kill you before that. Next time be prepared!" He pointed at Chihiro with a dirt covered hand, making her flinch, before running off towards the main entrance of the bathhouse.

"Saku! Wait, you left these behind!" Chihiro called after him and pointed towards a bucket and spade that was left lying on the ground, but he had already disappeared. Somehow after the crazy little event, she imagined the boy digging a grave for his victims, sending a shiver down her back as the thought of someone who looked so alike Haku doing such malevolent thing scared her.

"What was that about." Chihiro muttered thoughtfully as she went back to the wall. Even their names were alike. She smiled to herself.

"Is anyone here?" Chihiro called out as she slowly peered through the door.

"Yubaba?" Chihiro was proud of her achievement – since she had been declined to enter by the annoying door knob that guarded Yubaba's office, she had come in from the other way around. The pipes running along the wall were rusted than before, and there were many painful times where she was reminded of her obvious increase in weight compared to the first time she had snuck into Yubaba's office to save Haku 9 years ago, but she had made it.

"It's me, Sen. Any one home?" She was disappointed. All that effort and no one at home? Her shoulders drooped in discouragement and was about to leave, when she heard the faintest of voices coming from another room.

"Sen…I'm…here…" It was so small she would have easily missed it, but it was a familiar one she recognised instantly.

"Boh!?" She rushed into the connecting room, Boh's playroom. It was exactly as she remembered, a mountain of toys and elaborate decorations on the wall.

She ran past the mountain where she knew Boh would usually love to hide and straight to the bed, flinging the curtain open.

There lay Boh, exactly as she remembered, but smaller and paler. She gasped in horror.

"What on earth happened to you Boh? Are you alright!?" The sickly baby opened its eyes and looked towards Chihiro, smiling feebly.

"Sen! I knew…you'd come…back…" Boh managed to utter before falling into a fit of coughs.

"What happened!? Who did this to you?" Chihiro demanded, grabbing onto Boh's hand.

"Outside…dangerous…germs….Big….Dragon."

"What!? A Dra-"

"What are you doing here brat?" A voice interrupted, making Chihiro jump and whip her head behind, although she knew instantly who it was.

"Granny! So you _were_ here!"

"Hmph." Yubaba scoffed. "Thought you would've grown up a bit at least, but still seems you're stupid enough to wonder back in here."

Chihiro hurriedly followed behind Yubaba as the old woman disappeared back into her office, after carefully tucking Boh under the cover and hastily whispering that she'd be back soon.

Chihiro glanced around in surprise at the book strewn everywhere as she carefully shut the door behind her.

"Get out of here before I turn you into a pig this time for real, brat."

Yubaba took a seat at her office, and for the first time Chihiro noticed the signs of fatigue clawing away at Yubaba's face.

"You can't. You don't have any magic powers." Yubaba looked surprised momentarily.

"Well well, did our research did we. So what did you come here for? To get revenge for what I did in the past?" Chihiro shook her head coolly.

" I came here to ask you a favour. Two to be precise."

This seemed to catch Yubaba by surprise even more. She laughed loudly, a cackle that Chihiro once found scary, but later realised was the old woman's actual form of laughter.

"Come to make negotiations have we human brat? You know I have no magic power, and yet," Yubaba studied Chihiro's look of determination momentarily. "I can see preparation in your eyes. Fine. But on one condition; ill need something back." Yubaba's eyes twinkled in amusement. "Nothing in this world is free."

Chihiro nodded. "Ofcourse."

"Then?"

"Boh." Chihiro nodded towards the bedridden baby. "I'll cure his sickness for you." Yubaba froze at this, before carefully removing her glasses and placed them on the table.

"How can you be so sure? By now you should now that I'm the one that killed Haku because of our promise, and yet why are you so sure that you can find the cure. You don't even know what happened, and on top of that, a mere human like you without any powers at all. Do you want to end up like that boy, or is it that you already have a plan."

Chihiro shook her head. "To be honest, I have no idea. But I'm confident that I'll be able to solve all this. Plus for you who cannot move freely from this confined space, I think its safe to say that im you only hope."

Yubaba burst into laughter again, and stood up from her chair to look directly at Chihiro.

"Fine. I'll listen to what you have to say, and that's a promise. But let me tell you one interesting fact to commemorate this.

Your parents aren't here. They never stepped into or even close to this world. You've been tricked into coming here by a small illusionist."

_Hi again~Kurousa here~ I've decided to change the title to something more ftting~ please look forward to it, and thank for reading till here! Again, reviews are deeply appreciated, although i think ill keep writing regardless as to whether anyones actually reading HAHAHA :))))))))_


	12. 秘密: Secrets

Chihiro scrunched her face in concentration as she simultaneously tried to sneak back out of the bathhouse without getting found by Rin or somebody that would recognise her. She wasn't ready just yet to explain herself to her probably, no most definitely infuriated friends.

Her mind flashed back to what Yubaba had said earlier. Had it been an illusion? The broken glasses and ripped photos? The kitchen, before she had left the human world had looked like it had been tipped upside down - far too realistic to be a dream or an illusion. Despite, however, the shards of glasses strewn about the room, she suffered no cuts to her feet that night. But then, the ripped photo. That was definitely real.

She felt her pockets, only to realise she had left it in her old clothes back at the castle after she had changed to the kimono which Nagi had prepared for her.

"Stupid Sen." She whispered to herself as she made her way silently to the bridge, when she froze suddenly, as she felt someone watch her.

She whipped around, trying to find who it was, but the setting sun reflected no other being around her.

She stood silent for a moment, when something caught her eye a little way into the distance. Was that what was watching her?

She gave chase, ducking under a little wooden gate and making her way down the slope.

This way was…the path that led to the pigpen?

Chihiro ran sideways through the wall of flowers which she remembered Haku leading her so long ago. He had given her hand made rice balls that day which he had enchanted. She still remembered the feel of its magic lifting her anxiety and confusion that day, and she smiled as she felt a pang of guilt to be lying so much to Haku now as she betrayed him and kept returning to the bathhouse.

She ducked behind a bush as she heard the person coming to a stop, and she peered determinedly to find out who it was, only to her biggest disappointment and puzzlement.

"Saku?" Chihiro whispered to herself. The little Haku look alike who had tried to get rid of Chihiro before, kept looking over his shoulder anxiously as he dropped the bucket and spade down and parted a little bush carefully.

Chihiro held her breath, part of her was scared to see what the vicious little boy had hidden in her garden of memories, and the other part immensely intrigued.

Saku grinned to himself as pulled out from the bush a….

…flower?

Chihiro's mind was blank as she watched the little boy excitedly pour water over the plant and pet it rather roughly. He looked over his shoulder again, and after making sure that no one was watching, kissed the plant affectionately and whispered something, before parting the bush again and after hiding the plant from view ran off back to the bathhouse.

After checking Saku had gone, she crept to the bush and pulled out the plant pot carefully. It was full to the brim with water, and half withered. He had over watered it, kept it in such a shady area, that it had begun to die. She smiled to herself as she remembered the boy's warm smile, surprised at the contrast from his earlier look of hate at the sight of her.

She hastily emptied some of the water, before adding more dirt to the pot and parting the roof of the bush so that sunlight could enter it more, returned the pot to its hideout, and snuck contently back to the bridge in case Saku were to come back, forgetting completely about her chase of the being which watched her from the shadows.

"You look awfully tired. Is it that you couldn't enjoy yourself tonight?"

"What, oh, no! I'm just abit sleepy, that's all." Chihiro laughed embarrassedly as Haku regarded her worriedly.

"If it's about your parents, don't worry Chihiro. I promise I'll help you find them. Haku placed his hands on Chihiro's as she blushed madly at his touch. Doing her best to ignore her racing heart, she ventured a little further.

"How do you know they are here? They might not have come here at all."

Haku gave her hand a small squeeze of encouragement. "They are here. I know when you entered the world too, it's within a God's ability to be able to sense such things." Chihiro's heart sank at those words, even his touch this time not being able to restore her hope.

"You haven't been eating well; perhaps you're still ill?"

Haku touched his forehead against Chihiro's as they made their way into her room once back at the castle, after a long night of Haku's secong tour around the amusement park.

"You're face is hot!"

"I-its nothing! Its just because we climbed those stairs." Chihiro lied hurriedly. Of course she couldn't say that she became like this every time he touched her.

She was glad, however, that Haku now removed his mask instantly the moment they became alone, mentally claiming victory against Nagi, whom he never talked to without it.

He regarded her carefully, as if she was something that would break easily at his touch.

"You must be hungry." He concluded. "I'll get someone to make you something. I can't have you disappearing right after I got you back." He smiled warmly before picking up his mask again.

"Wait!" Chihiro grabbed Haku's arm as he was about to leave the room.

"Is there something you want?"

Chihiro nodded. "Rice balls."

Haku frowned. "Is that all? Well, if that's what you wish for ill get them to make it for you instantly."

"No, not those." Chihiro shook her head. "You know, the ones you made for me long ago? Back at the pig pen?"

Haku's blank face showed no signs of recognition.

"The ones you enchanted when I was feeling down about my parents?"

"Ah, those." Haku remembered. "I can't have you eat such a thing, when you're the guest of honour here. Wait here and I'll get them to make something more sufficient."

"But-" Chihiro began to argue, but Haku was quick to sweep Chihiro off her feet and carry her to her bed, placing her down gently and forcing her to lie down.

"Rest Sen. You've had a long day, I'll be right back."

He was out the door and gone from sight before Chihiro could argue any further as she found herself alone and slightly dazed by Haku's strength.

Chihiro heard a chuckle at the door, which she recognised immediately.

"How long have you been there, Nagi." Chihiro sighed in exasperation.

The masked girl stepped into the room lightly, fanning her face as usual.

"For quite awhile. He doesn't remember, does he?"

Chihiro momentarily stopped sorting out her goodies from that day that she had begun to sort to hide her embarrassment, and looked sadly towards the girl.

"Is he always like that?"

Nagi shrugged. "Why should I tell you?"

"That's true." Chihiro smiled apologetically and resumed her cleaning half-heartedly.

Nagi was taken aback, the girl wasn't arguing today as usual.

"Did something happen human?" Chihiro automatically flashed back to what Yubaba had said.

_You parents aren't here. They never stepped into or close to this world. You've been tricked._

Who was she to believe? Yubaba had never lied to her atleast, but why would Haku lie to her too that her parents were here. Were one of them just mistaken?

"Nagi…" Chihiro looked towards the girl for help, her face a clear mixture of confusement and tiredness. Nagi hesitated, it was her first time seeing her enemy make such an expression. She opened her mouth, just as the two heard footsteps in the corridor, and a familiar voice.

"Nagi, what're you doing here?"

Chihiro instantly hid her face. She was scared of facing Haku, who, she still couldn't understand.

Nagi glanced towards Chihiro and instantly stopped Haku before he entered the room.

"Haku-sama. If I may, I'll pass these on to her." Chihiro looked up surprised, at Nagi's back who blocked the doorway from Haku coming in.

"Thank you, but I'll just do it myself, she seems to lack sleep, so id like to make sure she does so peacefully tonight."

"She just fell asleep, so there is no need to be by her side tonight."

Chihiro immediately collapsed on the bed and pretended to sleep upon hearing this, just as she heard a shuffle of footsteps by the door.

"See?" Chihiro heard Nagi point out.

"Ah, that's good then. I'll leave these to you then, thank you Nagi."

Chihiro scrunched her eyes tighter as she heard foot steps approach, and after softly brushing the hair out of her eyes, disappeared again out of the door.

She opened her eyes sightly as she heard someone close the door and take a seat at the table beside the bed.

"Why did you help me Nagi? I thought you disliked me."

Nagi scoffed as she placed the rice balls that Haku had seemingly brought up beside Chihiro's pillow.

"There's no fun in teasing the you now, you're just like everyone of those meaningless puppets outside."

Chihiro smile thankfully as she sat herself up.

"Thank you Nagi. You're actually a nice person aren't you."

Nagi fanned herself harder, avoiding Chihiro's gaze and gratitude. If Chihiro didn't know better, it seemed that the girl was embarrassed.

"Hmph. And? What did you find out? You went to the bathhouse didn't you."

"I-I don't know. Nothings making sense. Everyones saying something different, and its just not matching up." Chihiro sighed, her head hurting from too much thinking. "There's a puzzle piece still missing, and I don't know who has it."

Nagi fanned herself whilst silently studying the exhausted girl before her.

Chihiro reached out towards one of the rice balls wrapped in the bamboo leaf, its smell suddenly reminding her that she hadn't eaten anything all day. She bit into it, and her face immediately darkened.

"It tastes…too perfect…its horrible." Chihiro muttered more to herself, as she bit into it without even tasting it.

Nagi slammed her fan shut, startling Chihiro as Nagi suddenly stood up and sat on the bed, taking the rice balls off her.

"That's it. Time to stop sulking Sen. You only have 9 days left, have you forgotten? Negativity will get you now where."

Nagi lay down on the side of the bed, her back faced towards Chihiro's. Chihiro looked at the girl in surprise. "What're you doing?" Nagi coughed embarrassedly.

"I'm making sure you're getting a good sleep tonight. Leaving you alone to your thoughts is just depressing."

Surprised, Chihiro stared at the back of Nagi's head for a few moments.

"W-what. You don't like it?" Nagi exclaimed. Chihiro shook her head hurriedly and grinned widely to herself, making herself comfortable under the blankets on the other side of the large bed.

"Thanks again Nagi."

Chihiro heard a small 'hmph' from the other side and a frantic shaking of the bed as Chihiro felt Nagi begin to fan herself again.

"That fan. It's beautiful, it really matches you Nagi."

The shaking stopped, and a small silence prevailed. Chihiro looked around, worried if she had offended her. Instead, Nagi was staring at her open fan against the moon light.

"It is, isn't it." Nagi whispered. It was the first time Chihiro had heard such affection in her voice.

"Did you buy it at the festival?"

"No. It's my sister's. She made It for me for my birthday decades ago." It never struck Chihiro that the haughty yet now gentle girl beside her had any siblings, much less a sister like trait.

"You guys seem to get along well." Chihiro said smiling as she snuggled deeper into her pillow, sleepiness flowing into her.

"I haven't seen her for a very long time."

"Why?" By now Chihiro was near sleep talking.

"She's faraway, we were separated."

"Her...name...?" Chihiro muttered vaguely.

Nagi hesitated. "Suzune." Chihro smiled as her voice trailed off.

"Then I promise…I'll find her…for you."

"How can you say that so easily? Making a promise again, and this time it's not even your business!" Nagi angrily turned to look at Chihiro, but by then, the girl had fallen asleep and took no notice. Nagi smiled to herself in exasperation as she took in the sleeping girl's face.

"If it's you…then maybe. Just maybe you can help us all."


	13. 千、契約を結ぶ: Sen Signs the Contract

"Hey, Nagi."

"What is it?"

"Your mask, can you take it off?"

"What?!" Nagi exclaimed as she dropped the spoon with a large clatter.

"Why are you so surprised?" Chihiro was more surprised by Nagi's sudden over-reaction, as she settled back down into her chair by the kitchen table, swinging her legs lazily to and fro. "I've always been thinking that you're so pretty, that I always want to see what you really look like. We're friends now right? Show me, pleaseee?"

"When did I say we were friends?" Scoffed Nagi hurriedly, as Chihiro smiled at the sound of her new friend's embarrassment. "Anyways, even if I want to, I can't."

"Because of the contract?" Nagi nodded hesitantly.

"Those that are under the contract of Kitsune can't take off their own mask by their own power."

"Kistune again." Chihiro sighed at the mysterious figure. "Then, what about I take it off for you!? It must be so hard to breathe in it! …But wait a moment… if that's true then why did Haku-"

"Here," Nagi cut in. "Time to eat."

"Eh, Rice balls?" Chihiro exclaimed as Nagi placed a plate of perfect looking Rice balls before her. Taking her apron off, Nagi leaned against the table top and began to fan herself again.

"Well, it seemed that you wanted to eat them yesterday, but since I took it off you, I made you more. W-what. You don't have to if you don't like it."

"No no!" Chihiro argued hastily, biting happily into one as her face warmed.

"Is it bad?" Nagi questioned worriedly, to which Chihiro shook her head.

"It's the best I've had! Actually, no….the second best."

"Why, you!" CHihiro laughed merrily as Nagi smiled too.

"You finally smiled, Sen. I'm glad."

"Thanks Nagi. You're really amazing, you can cook, clean, cheer people up, you're just like a big sist-ah…" Chihiro hurriedly apologized.

"S-sorry, I didn't mean to remind you…"

Nagi chuckled, waving it off. "Don't worry. I'm more surprised that you even remembered since a certain somebody slept through during our conversation."

Chihiro laughed apologetically. "I'm sorryyy. But I do remember our promise, and intend to carry it out. So…why were you and Suzune torn apart?"

Nagi remained silent for a moment. "It's a secret."

"Then, what about your real name?"

Nagi smiled. "That's a secret too."

Chihiro sighed. "You're too mysterious, I can't get anything out of you. I should postpone my search, I should've known it'll be too hard to get information out of you."

Nagi chuckled again. "What about you? You seem to be restless in your questions tonight about me. It's as if you're trying to forget your own problems, am I wrong?"

Chihiro smiled sadly as memories from the day before she had been trying to forget flowed back into her. Silence prevailed for a moment as Chihiro stared down at her half-eaten rice ball.

"I've been here, 9 years ago. But I lost my memory of it all the minute I returned to the human world. But, it's just so weird Nagi. Suddenly one day, I have a massive fight with my friends, and so did my parents. They disappeared, I mean they fight a lot, but to that extent? I've never seen it before – It's just not like them. So I searched for them, and In the process, I ended up here, like something was guiding me here." Chihiro stopped for a moment, rethinking the events of the night before. Nagi, however, remained completely both still and silent.

"What I'm even more confused about, is that Haku told me that my parents were here, and that he'd even help me find them. But at the same time, I met Yubaba, and she told me that they've never stepped foot into this world. I-I just don't know which to believe, and while I keep thinking that over and over again, I just don't have the courage to face Haku." Chihiro sighed, her shoulders drooping.

Nagi silently made her way across the room, surprising Chihiro as she tenderly squeezed her shoulder. Chihro smiled thankfully as she leaned her cheeks against Nagi's warm hand.

"Sen…I…" Chihiro looked up as Nagi spoke for the first time, when suddenly, the kitchen door flew open.

"Sen. I've been searching for you."

"Haku!" Chihiro felt Nagi's hand tighten on her shoulder.

"Haku-sama, she's still eating." He, however, ignoring Nagi, walked up to Chihiro.

"Sen, have you been avoiding me? Ever since yesterday, you wouldn't meet my eyes. Are you hiding something?" Chihiro averted her gaze hurriedly.

"Haku-sama-"

"Nagi. Leave us." Nagi opened her mouth to argue. "NOW." The two flinched at Haku's raising voice, and Nagi, giving Chihiro a final apologetic squeeze, swept out the door, looking over her shoulder in concern.

"I was still talking to Nagi…" Chihiro murmured, fixating her eyes away from Haku. Seeing this, he practically threw off his mask, and grabbing Chihiro's face, forced her to look at him.

"What are you hiding Sen." Chihiro struggled fruitlessly against his hold.

"You're the one that's hiding something, Haku."

"I've taken off my mask for you so that you'd believe me, showing you this humiliating scar! What more do you want?" Chihiro bit her lip, Haku was beginning to scare her, she had never seen him this furious before. It was as if he was another person all together, was it not for that face…

"I know you go somewhere every morning Sen." She froze.

"You've been going to the bathhouse haven't you." How did he know? She had to think…she felt that if she lied now, Haku would be able to see through everything.

"The pig pen!" Chihiro finally conjured her courage. "Remember the pigpen and the flower field? I like to go there just to think."

"The pigpen?" Haku repeated thoughtfully, loosening his hold. Chihiro breathed out in relief. It wasn't exactly a lie, as she thought of Saku's flower.

"You can't go there anymore, it's too close to the bathhouse. What if you get kidnapped?"

"They won't do that!" Chihiro retaliated, almost too forcefully. Haku narrowed his eyes in suspicion.

"You talk as if you know them well." She avoided the question.

"So then, what are _you_ hiding? You're not the only one that knows what's going on."

"Do you really want to know?" Haku's voice was sounding more and more unfamiliar, Chihiro really began to hate this new Haku as she made herself promise that she would hurry in breaking the curse. She nodded immediately.

"Then sign the contract." Chihiro froze as Haku conjured a white piece of paper and a feather-ink pen. "It's the only way I'll be able to trust you. I can sense the smell of Yubaba's contract on you faintly, and this is the only way to extinguish it." Chihiro felt cold sweat gather furiously inside her clenched arms. There was no way around it. She had come prepared, she only had to put this to test now…

"I understand. But promise you'll tell me everything if I do." Haku nodded, his face giving away no signs of emotion.

"I promise."

Chihiro gripped her pen tightly, breathing in deeply, and gathering determination. 'Here goes nothing'.

She put her pen to the paper, and Haku smiled as he watched closely. The paper suddenly glowed the second she took her pen from it, as it began to transform on the table, folding itself smaller and bigger, as it finally stopped, taking the shape of a mask. Chihiro picked up the mask in awe, it was still faintly glowing.

Meanwhile, Nagi who had been pacing anxiously about in the corridor, widened her eyes in horror as the glow coming from the closed kitchen room caught her eye.

"No…" In a mad dash, she flung open the door, taking in in horror, as she was just in time to see Chihiro place the mask on her face, Haku's back to her.

"SEN!" Nagi cried helplessly, as she ran in, grabbing Chihiro's hand, and ran out the door, ignoring Haku's yell as she dragged the silent masked Chihiro out and up a flight of stairs, eventually bursting out into the clear night on the roof of the castle.

"Sen! Nagi yelled as she shook her shoulders. "Tell me you didn't sign the contract!"

Sen however stood silently, just panting for breath.

"You idiot, you promised you'd save Haku from the curse, it doesn't mean giving your self up!"

"It's too late Nagi, give up." The roof door burst open as Haku stepped up into the night, his face bare of his mask, and his voice kind in contrast to his menacing aura, which seemed to dance about him.

"Why'd you do this Haku? I thought you loved her!"

"I do." Haku said simply. "Thus the contract. It's the only way I can protect her."

"Stealing her soul shouldn't be considered as saving her." Nagi growled. Ignoring her, Haku reached out a hand towards Chihiro, addressing her directly.

"Let's go back now Chihiro. I'll tell you everything you need to know."

"Chihiro listen. I know you can hear me, don't trust what Haku says. His words are all lies." Chihiro remained silent as Haku laughed.

"I'm surprised you can call me a liar Nagi, when in reality, it's you that has been lying to her the whole time. Aren't I right?"

Nagi? Chihiro thought silently in surprise as she looked towards her friend who was obviously affected by these words.

"Nagi, is it true?" Chihiro uttered in disbelief quietly as Nagi clenched her fists.

"Yes." Chihiro's mind went blank. "But it was all for the better, to save both you _and _Haku! Believe me Chihiro!"

Haku walked slowly across the roof, approaching to two with an amused smile.

"Now, _Nagihiko_. Isn't it time to show your dear friend your true self?"

"Nagihiko!?" Chihiro exclaimed. Nagi growled as he neared.

"Chihiro, there's no need to worry about Kitsune controlling me or putting me under his control." Haku began as he stared at the masked, silver haired figure, crouched on the floor.

"What.." breathed Chihiro as realisation sank in.

"For the girl, no _boy _next to you, _is _Kitsune."


	14. 凪の正体: Nagi's True Appearance

"It can't be…" Chihiro stared down at Nagi with hidden incredulous eyes, although somewhere deep inside, she had felt she heard this nagging realisation.

"But why? What for?" Nagi didn't answer as he continued to growl in the direction where Haku stood, his long green hair glistening as magnificently as Nagi's silver one.

"What are you scheming Haku." Nagi growled in an undertone.

He inclined his head amusedly as he regarded his furious friend and responded flatly. "Nothing in particular. I've just made a promise with Sen that I'll reveal everything to her, and I've decided to start with you. How about you take off that mask for starters?"

"What if I refuse?"

"Then I'll take it off for you." Haku raised his hands and with a simple sweep, and a sudden gust of wind erupted from his palms and seemed to slice at the air. Chihiro barely had time to brace herself, although the wind was targeted at Nagi, the effect of it was immense.

Nagi tried to counteract by pulling out his fan, but before he could even utter his spell, Haku sent the next attack flying as the fan flew out of Nagi's hand.

"A wind spell, how on earth did a river god like you attain this!? And it feels so familiar…" Nagi gasped as immediate recognition hit him. "You bastard! This is the wind god's! What did you do to Fuujin?"

Before Haku could respond, however, there was a cry as both turned around from their battle at the familiar voice.

"SEN!" They both cried simultaneously, just in time to see Chihiro as she fell off the edge of the castle roof.

Chihiro braced herself as she plummeted downwards through the crisp night air, not even daring to look down at the rapidly approaching ground.

"SEN!" She felt someone grab her as her fall was suddenly slowed. She closed her eyes, hoping that it was Haku that had caught her; the Haku that she knew from so long ago, the one with the kind eyes and heart. Instead she smiled sadly, as she felt her feet connect to the ground.

"Nagi…" She whispered, as she held out the object that was the cause of her fall. Nagi took one look at the fan in Chihiro's hands, taking it with shaky hands.

"This…why would you go so far for such a thing?"

"It's something precious to you isn't it?"

"You-" Nagi started, however was cut off as there was a huge flurry of wind, and Haku landed not too far away from them.

"He's fast.." Nagi muttered under his breath as Haku approached the two. Nagi looked back towards Chihiro who stood lifelessly behind the mask, and back at Haku who's wind power seemed to be getting more and more powerful with every step. He had one chance, he might as well take it before it became none at all.

"Sen! Don't take your eyes off me!" Nagi shouted, as he reached towards his mask. Chihiro however, had already held her breath as she realised what was about to come.

In a swift movement, Nagi ripped off his mask, throwing it to the side as he simultaneously opened his fan. Chihiro gasped as she took in her friend's face for the first time, through the narrow slits of her own mask. His face was as beautiful as she could've imagined, being as white as a porcelain doll, and his sharp eyes glowing a violet-blue. On his head sat two fluffy yet gracefully looking, cat-like ears.

With a large gesture of his fan, a majestic wave of blue fire burst from it, surrounding the tunnel of wind and hiding Haku from view momentarily. Nagi seized this opportunity to rush over to speechless Chihiro, grabbing her shoulders and staring at her eyes through her mask.

"I know you can hear me Sen. For now, since you've signed the contract, I cannot protect you any longer; you must fend for yourself. It's completely up to you, what to believe. My real name is Nagihiko - Sougetsu Nagihiko, and I am none other than Haku and your friend. And yes, i'm the one that bought you here into this world. For now, it Is up to you, who and what to beli-" Nagi swung around as he felt his fire getting distinguished, and truly enough, he found Haku emerging from the smoke and rapidly approaching them.

"There's no time!" Nagi cursed. "You should know by now, Haku isn't who he used to be, he's just an empty outer shell! The things he perceives as truths are in fact lies that he himself does not even realize! Sen, you must distinguish them for yourself, and only then can you save him!"

There was another burst of wind, as Nagi seemed to disperse into thin air, revealed Haku closely behind where Nagi once stood as he sliced through the air.

"I'm sure Sen…if it's you, you can be able to free us from our curses…"

The voice was so small that Chihiro wasn't sure if Haku had been able to hear it, but something in her heart told her that Nagi was fine. Despite that however, she couldn't stop her tears escaping her eyes as tried her best to remain impassive, acting continuously as if she was under the contract of her loved one that stood before her with more and more empty-looking eyes.

"He's gone now, you don't need to worry." Haku said softly as he reached out his hands towards Chihiro as she took it, trying to hide her hesitation and calm her breathing. Since when was his hands as cold as his voice? Clenching her free hand tightly into a ball, she tried to steady her shaking self as the two returned back into the castle. The night around them shrouded into darkness as the sinking moon hid itself deeper behind the gathering grey clouds.


End file.
